Add bikes, neon lights, glow sticks and electronic dance music together and what do you get? The perfect pre-finals stress relief, otherwise known as the UBC Bike Rave.
The Rave is “a celebration of music, lights and dancing, really aimed at promoting sustainability on campus,” explained cofounder Josh Compagna. This year’s Rave, the third, was the biggest ever, thanks to partnerships with multiple campus clubs and organizations like the AUS, SUS, AMS Bike Coop and UBC EDM, and with corporate sponsors Clif Bar, Happy Water and Dominoes, among others.
The event started in front of Koerner Library, where participants decked out their bikes, and themselves, with glow sticks, neon lights and ridiculous clothing to the throbbing beats of the UBC EDM DJs. The Rave travelled from location to location, touring most of campus, by any means of non-motorized, wheeled transit. Bikes, scooters, skateboards, streetskis (think cross country skis with wheels) and one cheating raver who rode a motorized longboard all join the throng of neon dance warriors. All the while music blares from speakers haphazardly attached to bikes. At each location, ravers dismount and turn up; dancing, chilling and enjoying the spring night.
This year’s event saw ravers of all ages and walks of life, just as Compagna and cofounders Brandon Parker, hoped to see. “We’ve tried to make it as inclusive as possible,” says Compagna. “One of our big priorities this year was to get [free] rental bikes.” Parker added that while the event looks to promote bike culture on the whole, they also wanted to highlight cycling resources on campus like the Bike Kitchen and Bike Coop.
Bike Rave also hopes to be a springboard and example for UBC students and the community. From video production to event planning, Parker and Compagna want to promote campus involvement and projects. The two hope to see other students start events and initiatives to improve the campus community and urged people to apply for UTown grants.
In the end, Parker and Compagna wanted to put on a fun, unique and exciting event for all UBC community members.